SLIPKNOT "Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)
By Ozzy Stillbourne

Cover: 5 Masks out of 10.
It's somebody's mask with a zipper over the mouth. I don't know who's fucking mask it is and I don't care. Slipknot and the album title are in the clear spine. I think the cover could have been better but I'll still give it a 5 because I don't want that Clown to come knocking on my door at 4 in the morning.

Booklet: 9 Murderdolls out of 10.
As you would expect this has a bunch of photos, weird shit, lyrics, credits, and assorted things to look at. There are some photos of the mansion they recorded at, which was supposedly owned by Harry Houdini's mistress.

Songs: 9 Stone Sours out of 10.
I needed to listen to this record a few times before I finally got into it but eventually I did and it's pretty fucking cool. It has more diversity then their previous records and it's not all 100% balls out all the time. This time it's only 95% balls out. They actually have two acoustic type songs, one called "Circle" and one called "Vermilion Pt 2" which sounds like something that Corey's other band "Stone Sour" would do. I would have had no clue these two songs were Slipknot had I KNOT (get it) know. There is also no swearing at all! This record didn't even get a parental advisory sticker. No fucks, cunts, assholes, motherfuckers, no "I wanna slit your throat and fuck the wound" or anything. That's another surprise. However, it's not all puppies and kittens because there is plenty of brutal type songs that have just as much aggression as anything they've done in the past. My favorite tracks are the heavier ones like "Duality," "Opium Of The People," and "Pulse Of The Maggots."
It's heavy shit with some insane drumming by Joey Jordison. The riffs are also cool and while being heavy, there is some melody going on and they keep things interesting by throwing in random tempo changes and shit like that. I guess you could say there is more growth and songwriting, which is better for the band in the long run.

Comments: Their last record "Iowa" was 66 minutes long and basically 66 minutes of rage, anger, and Satan. This record is 60 minutes long and about 50 minutes of good rage, anger, and Satan. I prefer that because you need a breather every now and then to go get a beer or take a piss. Works for me.